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Background: Cyclical fluctuations in turnover of critical care nurses are a large and complex problem. Managers' leadership characteristics may be a determinant of critical care nurses' intent to stay in the job., Objective: To examine the direct and indirect effects of nurse-managers' characteristics of power, influence, and leadership style on critical care nurses' intent to stay in the nurses' employment positions., Methods: The sample was 255 staff nurses in intensive care units at 4 urban hospitals. Established instruments with sound reliability and validity were used to assess the predictor, intervening, and outcome variables. Path analysis was used to examine the relationships in a conceptual model of intent to stay., Results: The model explained 52% of the variance in intent to stay, and managers' characteristics were significant at each stage. Managers' position power and influence over work coordination had a direct link to intent to stay; structuring expectations and consideration contributed indirectly through the variables of instrumental communication, autonomy, and group cohesion. Instrumental communication, autonomy, and group cohesion decreased job stress and thus increased job satisfaction. Job satisfaction was directly linked with intent to stay., Conclusions: Inclusion of nurse-managers' characteristics explained more variance in intent to stay than did previous models. Managers with leadership styles that seek and value contributions from staff, promote a climate in which information is shared effectively, promote decision making at the staff nurse level, exert position power, and influence coordination of work to provide a milieu that maintains a stable cadre of nurses.

Objective: To examine the modified contingency theory of role socialization with new graduate nurses in critical care., Design: Descriptive comparative., Setting: Six midwestern hospitals with 12 types of critical care units., Sample: Fifty new graduate nurses and 89 experienced registered nurses in critical care., Outcome Measurements: The socialization variables of precepting, support systems, assignment congruence, role conception, self-confidence, affective responses, commitment, job satisfaction, confronting reality, mutual influence, resolution of outside life conflicts, and resolution of conflicting demands at work were measured. New graduates responded to questionnaires about socialization at 1 to 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of employment. Experienced nurses completed a questionnaire about socialization once, simultaneously with the 1- to 2-week data collection for new graduates., Results: At initial employment new graduates differed from experienced nurses in role conception, self-confidence, and commitment to profession. After 6 months of employment new graduates differed from experienced nurses in self-confidence and mutual influence. For new graduates, positive precepting experiences, support systems, and assignment congruence were related to high self-confidence, low anxiety, high commitment, high job satisfaction, and low role conflict and ambiguity. These variables were also associated with the development of role conception., Conclusions: The study results lend considerable support to the modified contingency theory of role socialization. Positive precepting experiences, support systems, and assignment congruence contributed to successful socialization for the new graduates in this study.